Disk-record cabinet



Oct- 13, 1925- 1,557,149 H. D. FITZPATRICK DISK RECORD CABINET Filed May 28 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet l nmaw TOR flTTOR/VEVS H. D. F'ITZPATRICK DISK RECORD CABINET Filed May 28 1921 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 11 Mg 2 W In M'YE/VTOR is rromvsys Patented @ct. l3, "i925.

HUGH D. FITZPATRIGK, 0F GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ERNEST HAYWARD FAIRBANKS, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DISK-RECORD CABIN ET.

Application filed May 28,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, HUGE DONALD FITZ- PATRICK, of 94 Hope Street, Glasgow, Scotland, a subject of theKing of Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Disk-Record Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to containers or cabinets for holding disk records, such as used for gramophones and like instruments, and its main object is to so construct the cabinet or container that its capacity can be increased or decreased at will. For instance; the cabinet may be arranged to hold, say,-twenty disk records, but, if it is desired to make it to hold forty records, then its capacity can be increased accordingly. A secondary object is to so make the cabinet that it can be readily closed without the use of swinging doors, which, when opened, take up space and are otherwise objectionable.

According to this invention, the cabinet comprises a suitable frame or case which, in outward appearance, may be like the usual gramophone cabinets, and is or may be supported on four legs, and is so made as to hold, as desired, one or more record containing receptacles, or storage cells (as I call them) which. latter can be readily inserted in place in the frame and removed therefrom. The cabinet is provided with a movable flexible cover adapted to be pulled down over the front of the storage cell or cells, when fitted in the frame, and to enclude dust and dirt therefrom, and to form a neat closure. The whole arrangement is such that, for normal use, a single cell may be placed in the frame, but, when it is 'desired to extend the capacity of the cabinet, one or more additional cells can be fitted in the frame, the length of the flexible cover being such that it can be made to cover over the front of a single cell or all of the cells, as desired.

Each storage cell is, preferably, of rectangular form, in cross section, and is pro vided with an inclined false bottom sloping downwardly to the front thereof, and is divided into compartments by a series of spaced paper board or other partitions, which may be either fixed or removably fitted in tongued bars for holding the partitions in spaced relationship, each compartment being adapted to receive a disk record. Each cell is self contained and is adapted 1921. Serial No. 473,255.

to slidably fit into the frame so as to be easily withdrawn therefrom when desired, and can, when inserted, be held in position by gravity action or by screws, pegs, catches or other devices. The invention also covers other improvements as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, whereon are illustrated, by way of example, constructions of cabinets and cells.

Referring to the drawings Fig. l is a perspective elevation of a. gramophone disk record containing cabinet shewn .with a roll-top cover partly opened.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the cabinet shewn in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2, illustrating the provision of a roller blind in place of the roll-top.

Figs. l and 5 are perspective views, partly in section, of parts used in the construction of the cells in which the records are placed; and Fig. 6 is a detail view, partly in section, illustrating a manner of movably mounting in position a guard c.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the self-contained cells drawn to a different scale.

The cabinet shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is fitted with two removable storage cells a and or}, one above the other, and each of the cells, when located in position, has the bot tom or floor 2) inclined downwardly towards the front or open side. With such an arrangement, the disk records always tend to roll forwards by gravity, from out of each cell to a position in which they are readily available for use, being held in such position by a suitable movable guard or arresting rail 0 provided in connection with each cell. The guard 0 serves also as a means for re turning the records into the cell corresponding thereto, and when the guard of each is in the closed position, the cells can be enclosed within the cabinet by a flexible cover (Z. l

The cell a or a comprises upper, lower, rear and end walls of thin wood or other appropriate material suitably secured together and fitted with a series of partitions c for subdividing the cells into a series of parallel compartments.

In the construction shewn in the drawings,

the adjoining edges of the rear wall and the upper and lower walls are secured to each other in any well known way, and, in this connection, are fitted with bars 7 which extend from endto end of the cell. Each of the upper and lower bars is, preferably, of rectangular cross section, as shown in 1 1' g. 5, and is formed with a series of triangular tongues f which extend tron-i one corner edge to nearly a diagonal line extending between the two adjacent corners. Between the tongues f are fitted the rear upper and lower portions of the partitions e, such portions being termed with bevelled corners adapted to engage between the tongues and bear against the bottom of the slots between the tongues. The bars serve as means for strengthening the corners between the rear wall and the upper and lower walls, and also serve for spacing the rear ends of he partitions, the :t'ront ends of the partitions being spaced by a bar g, Fig. l, formed with a series of tongues 9 between which the upper portions of the front ends of the partitions are disposed when the bar 9 is titted into position and secured to the upper wall of the cell.

The inclined bottom or door 5 of each cell, is, or may be, arranged as a false bottom thereto, and beneath such bottom or door may be provided an outside lower wall 5 spacing blocks or pieces Z2 being located between the false bottom 0 and outside lower wall D to properly support the false bottom at the desired angle on the outside wall 5 The outside lower wall 6 may be dispensed with, ii": desired, and the downwardly inclined bottom or floor 5 would, in this case, constitute the outside vall ot' the cell and be supported on cross bars, such as it, forming part of the cabinet. l i here this arrangement is provided, the cross bars it are made as solid rectangular supports, but having an upper surface downwardly inclined to the front. The cells can be secured in position movement relatively to the cabinet, screws, pins or the equivalent thereof .ed through the bottom into the front re the inclined false bottom is prowith a lower outside wall, the cross bars it may be angled, as shewn at Fig. 2

' h a horizontal flange part if and a vertical flange part lluch angled bars constitute a back stop as well as a support iior the cell. Preferably the leve of the flange part it would be slightly lower than the level oi the bar 72, so that when a cell, with raise bottom, is slid into position within the cabinet, it will tilt backwards and downwards and thereby tend to remain in pos? lion under the action of gravity; screws and li-eze fa tening being unnecessary.

The cross bars in are secured to supports y" provided on the sides j of the cabinet, such mamas sides being connected to each other by a top member and a rear member j while each is provided with front and back legs j* which serve to support the ca inet a suitable height from the floor, while the front legs are forwardly pitched as hereinafter set forth. i

The movable guards c, besides serving to hold and retain the records within the cells, as shown in the lower part of 2, also serve to retain the dish records 40, as shown in Fig. l and the upper part of Fig. :2 in a position for facilitating the withdrawal oi any one or more dish records for use, and prevents them rolling out on to the floor. liach guard is preferably, of triangular form in cross section, shewn in Fig. 2, and is mounted on side arms 0 in such a manner, as to present the side 0 or the guard corresponding to the hypotenuse oi' the triangle, to the edges of the disks. Each side arm 0 as shown in Fig. (3, is provided with an apertured inner end 0 which is secured in position by a pin 0, provided with a head 0'' which is received in a countersink or recess 0 in the apertured inner end.

The guard 0 is preferably provided with a lining cl felt or other cushioning material 0 on the side 0 and the outer surface 0 may be provided with strips or disks of suitable material or substance bearing numbers or other data, or with a writing surface for marking data thereon, correspoi'iding or relative to the dish records within the cell.

Means are provided on the guard 0, such as, for example, spring controlled buttons or pins is, for automatically engaging with notches or recesses 70 formed in the inner surfaces of the end walls 01" the cells. The buttons engage with the recesses when the guard is in the closed position, as shown in the l wer halt of Fig. 2, and thereby locl: the disk records within the cell which is rather important when removing or transporting a cell with its records. The disengagement of the buttons from the recesses, which may be ellected by a sharp lateral pull on the guard 0, enables the latter to be moved to the open position, as shewn in the upper half of Fig. 2. lVhen the guard is moved to the open position, all the disks controlled therebj move automatically down the inclined bottom a to the position shewn in the upper half of 2, so that one or all can be readily withdrawn. Tn this way an automatic discharge of the records can be obtaned ithout the necessity for using exp n ve lever and other arrangements as at present. l'l hen the guard c is in the open position, it is held and supported in a predetermined set position by blocits c secured afeg chains 0 the walls of the cell. may also be employed for this purpose.

w tthb t W 7 1 b lo prei on 0 Cu inc Lulng oi ei or e mg readily tilted over when one or both lit) guards are in the open position and disk records moved into or are in engagement therewith, the front legs are forwardly pitched, and the lower ends thereof, which terminate in outwardly curved feet, contact with the floor in front of the vertical plane passing through the centres of gravity of all the disk records when in the outermost position resting against the open guard or guards.

Disk records of different sizes may be housed in cells constructed as herein set forth, and can be securely supported by the guards when the latter are in the open position. lit will be noted from Fig. 2 of the drawing that the distance between the guard c and the front edge of the upper wall of the cell, is more than the diameter of the disk records, so as to provide free passage for the disk records to and from the cells in the cabinet. All the disk records are moved collectively into the cell provided therefor, by raising the guard 0 and moving it to the closed position, and when both guards are in the closed position, the cells may be closed, and kept free from dust, by the flexible cover (Z, which may vary in form and construction to meet varying circumstances.

In the cabinet shown at Figs. 1 and 2, a rolltop cover at is used as the flexible cover, being formed of a series of wooden or other slats or bars 0Z connected together by flexible means such as a backing of textile material. The roll-top cover is arranged with each edge thereof in a groove 03 one being formed in each side of the cabinet. Preferably, each groove 0Z comprises a horizontal portion located above the level of the upper wall of the top cell and downwardly extending portions at the front and rear of the cabinet, the horizontal portion comniunieating with the downward portions by curved portions d which facilitate the passage of the roll-top cover as it is moved lengthwise to and from a position in front of the cells. The roll-top cover is fitted with an end slat or bar (Z formed with a finger grip recess a? for facilitating the movement of the cover, and with 'a look al one or both ends, so arranged, that the belt or bolts thereof, when inserted or moved to the locking position extends or extend from one or both ends of the end bar d Each bolt may be spring controlled to the outward position and operated inwardly by a key, or the movement in each direction may be controlled by a key. The locking means provided at one or both ends of the bar (1 s rves or serve for securing the rolltop cover in one or more positions for closlfl' one or more cells, and for this purpose belt or bolts thereof is or are engaged .ih apertures (Z formed where shown in grooves An alternative construction of flexible cover 03, is shewn in Fig. 3 and comprises a gth of flexible fabric in the form of a blind, mounted on a roller (Z preferably a spring cont-rolled roller, supported on the sides 5 near the top 7' The blind may be provided with a bar (i itted with locking means having a bolt or bolts for engaging apertures in the sides 7'.

A. cabinet constructed as hereinbefore described may be fitted with one cell when first acquired, and afterwards, a second cell may be obtained and easily and quickly fitted into position. The cells are constructed as self-contained articles, and are adapted for sale independently of the cabinet, and where the cabinet is constructed to hold a number thereof, the separate cells may be obtained as and when required for fitting into the cabinet. One of such self-contained cells is separately shewn in Fig. 7.

Although only one form of cabinet is shewn in the drawings, it will be obvious that the same may be constructed for holding a series of cells one above the other, and (or) on each side, and for holding cells of varying sizes as to height or width.

It will be understood that considerable variation may be made in the details of construction of the several parts constituting the improved cabinet without departing from the nature of the invention. For instance, it is obvious the guard may be mount-- ed on the sides j of the cabinet instead of the end walls of the cell; or a different means, such as, a hand operated bolt or bolts, may be provided on the guard for securing it in the closed position; or the partitions may not extend to the back of the cells and may be held in spaced relationship by slotted or tongued bars 5/ secured to the upper and lower walls of the cells, and so on.

A cabinet as shown can be cheaply built, there being no hinged doors to provide; it has a neat appearance; the records can be promptly stored or removed; it is not neces sary to pull or force out the records as they run forwards automatically into position for removal; and when it is required to close the cabinet it can be smartly done by turning up the guards, thereby automatically forcing the records into stored position, and pulling down the roll-top or the blind as the case may be.

The roller blind design of cabinet constitutes a very neat and cheap arrangement. The blind may be ornamented or have the name and mark of the maker conspicuously shewn thereon.

Having now fully described my invention, what if claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A filing cabinet having a compartment sub-divided into a plurality of sections open and unobstructed at their ends, the sections being designed to contain disk records, a forwardly and downwardly inclined boteorn for said compartment upon which the records norina 1y rest, arms pivoted a; we lower ends upon each side of the cabine which arms are adapted to move ontwardl" a rail carried by the free ends of said arms and normally extending transversely of and in abutting relation to said sections to retain the records therein, and means connecting 10 said arms with said cabinet to limit the forward nlover aent thereof, Wherehy on niovlng said, rail downwardly all of the records in 'l '1 t" '11 l i s 'l i Oi L 1e 8211C soo lOl'lS W1 ion c on n saic L the latter reaches its lowermost position.

in teshnioy \vnereoi l ainx my signature.

HUGH D. FITZPATRICK.

Hotaorn in abutting relation to said rail until 15 

